During the Summers I'd been Away
by squishy the jellyfish
Summary: What exactly did Echizen Ryoma leave behind when he left for America? Fuji, still as mysterious as ever, slowly unravels the secrets hidden from the tennis star as he sees fit. Not Thrill pair. Intrigue.
1. Woven Web

**A/N **_Cringes_ I know, I know! I definitely should not be uploading another fic, but what can I say? My muse just decides toreturn whenever it feels like it. I'm about half way through my new chapter of The Prince of Air Trek and I have a stack of beta-ing things to get done.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own The Prince of Tennis.

**Warnings: **ansgt, perhaps a bit of intrigue too and maybe a pairing or two.

**During the Summers I'd been Away**

By squishy the jellyfish

"Fuji-senpai?" Golden eyes narrowed in an inquiring way.

"Oh, forgive me Echizen, my mind was…somewhere else," The tensai smiled deceptively. Oh, how familiar it was to Ryoma, only, now he was older – wiser – and not the young, naïve Echizen Ryoma that Fuji Syuusuke knew. "What did you say?"

Ryoma suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. Fuji's mind was _always _somewhere else, whether it be away scheming or planning it was always occupied. Ryoma made a quarter turn back to face the bar and swished his scotch around in the glass idly. "I said: how is everyone? Provided that you've remained in contact with them, that is," there was a hint of cynicism in the last part.

"Oh? Now, what's _that _supposed to mean, Echizen-kun?" Fuji asked in a somewhat phony tone which didn't fool Ryoma in the slightest.

"Just answer the question and stop wasting my time," Ryoma said flatly before lifting the glass to his lips and taking a sip. Honestly…why had he agreed to go have a drink with the guy in the first place? There was much better company out there than a smiling sadist obsessed with cacti.

Fuji smirked; flamboyant as usual…. "A better – more straightforward – way of putting it would've been just to ask whether or not any of them died," his smirk didn't cease in the slightest.

Fuji always seemed to confuse him, Ryoma thought to himself as he pressed the cool glass to his forehead and sighed, not even bothering to give Fuji a glance. "Stop stalling, Fuji-senpai…."

Fuji opened his eyes slowly. "You really want to know?" he asked, suddenly dead serious.

Ryoma grunted and checked his wristwatch provocatively.

Fuji took out a small piece of paper from his back pocket and handed it to Ryoma. "Visiting hours are between eight and eleven in the morning, and two onwards in the afternoon," he said, not batting an eyelash. Fuji got up from the bar stool and threw down a few notes of cash on the bench, "I'll see you around, Echizen-kun."

"Hey, wait a minute, what-" Ryoma swiveled around but was met with no one. He looked back at the paper and read what was on it.

_Tokyo District Rehabilitation Centre_

_Room 25, Wing A_

What the hell did Fuji mean by this? Was this one of his elaborate schemes? If it was, then it wasn't funny.

_Crap._

Ryoma cursed his aloof behaviour. Could it be that Tezuka was in rehabilitation again? Oh god, please no. Ryoma's heart sank. Tezuka was somebody he had always looked up to; somebody he admired deeply and cared about, it just wasn't right for a guy like him, a young man who had the makings of a champion to waste away at a rehab centre. Tezuka _deserved _glory, unlike some of the others who took for granted their places in the Grand Slams. Ryoma glanced back at the paper before stuffing it in his pocket and taking out his wallet. It was far too late to go out to the centre now, he'd have to wait until the next day. Besides, who wanted to go and see an old mentor with your breath smelling of alcohol and your sweater reeking of smoke from the pub?

--

Ryoma decided long ago (back when he and his other team members visited Tezuka in Germany) that rehab centres were not his kind of place. They were eerie, quiet and full of sick/injured people; thus, not such a happy place. Before checking in at the front desk, the tennis star made for the bathroom. Ryoma fiddled with the collar of his shirt as he gazed at himself in the mirror; checking for any faults in his clothing or hair before going to the front desk to sign in.

"Good morning, sir. How may I help you?" The stern looking old woman at the desk asked somewhat cheerfully.

"Hai…I'm Echizen Ryoma-"

"Ah yes, the Ryoma boy, of course. I'll sign you in now…," she brought up a new window on her computer and typed something in. "Fuji Syuusuke explained to me that you'd be here sometime. You can go through now."

Ryoma nodded and recited the directions in his head. _Room 25, Wing A…_

Five minutes, three wrong turns and a map later Ryoma finally found the room. He opened the door and spotted a familiar figure seated on the couch. "Oishi-senpai?"

The man in question whipped his head around and was left agape with shock. "E-Echizen! How-where?"

"Oishi-senpai, why are you in a rehab centre?" Ryoma asked bluntly, walking into the room and sitting on the couch next to his former vice captain.

Oishi's facial expression changed from shock to downright horror. "W-Well, actually," he cast his eyes downward. "It's Eiji."

"Eiji-senpai?" Ryoma inquired. "What happened?" Why wasn't he told? But Ryoma neglected to say that aloud.

Oishi sighed, as if preparing himself when the squeaking of wheels rolled into the room. "Eiji, there you are. Look who's here," he looked anxious, the prominent bags under his eyes telling many stories of sleepless nights.

Ryoma stared, his eyes wide open. "S-Senpai…"

There, reduced in a wheelchair was one Kikumaru Eiji. Ryoma didn't blink. The red-head he'd known was bouncy and full of energy…this one however was nothing like him. Eiji had changed dramatically, he looked sad yet serious and his blue eyes were drained of all character.

"Echizen? W-Why-how??" Eiji, even with his dull features managed to look amazed.

"I'm having a vacation…," Ryoma said softly. "Eiji-senpai, you…you're, what happened?" his hands instinctively grasped onto his knees.

Eiji looked solemn as he tried to put on a smile. "Fell off a train platform…"

Ryoma noted how the red head's habited 'nya' was not added to the end to his sentences anymore. His eyes widened. "But…h-did you trip?"

Oishi looked nervously over to his former doubles partner who, in turn just waved the unneeded attention.

"I suppose I did."

There was silence.

Eiji sighed and shifted his upper body a little. "The doctors say that I'll never walk again."

"Eiji!" Oishi frowned, waiting frantically for some sort of correction from the red head.

"Oishi. It's. Fine."

Ryoma internally heard a ticking sound; counting down until the bomb would explode. It…didn't add up. Eiji-senpai? In a wheelchair for the _rest _of his life? No, no way! It was just some really, _really_ bad joke, right? Right?! Maybe it was a bad dream? A bad dream that felt strangely…real. "You're joking, aren't you?" He sounded more hopeful than demanding.

Oishi stood up and left the room.

"Oishi-senpai? Oishi-senpai!" Ryoma got up and called after his former vice captain.

"Leave him," Eiji said suddenly, pushing his wheelchair closer to the other man. "He just gets a bit emotional when we talk about my injury. Now, why don't you tell me how you are? I hate talking about myself."

Ryoma nodded, unusually cooperative. "I'm-," Ryoma glanced at Eiji's legs, "…fine."

Eiji gazed out of the window, "That's good to hear."

Ryoma sat down again, albeit a little awkwardly.

"So, why _are_ you really here?" Eiji asked, his attention once again on the younger male. He frowned, "After all these years, why did you choose to fulfill your promise _now_?"

An arrow of guilt– it seemed - had managed to pierce itself into Ryoma's chest. His senpai's tone was so cold, so cold that it nearly managed to make Ryoma shudder.

"I am no longer the ignorant, bouncy junior high school student anymore. You can be frank with me."

How had Eiji changed into this…this _cross _between Fuji-senpai and Tezuka-buchou? "I was having a vacation, Eiji-senpai."

Eiji's brows only furrowed. "Cut the crap and tell me the truth."

"I…don't know what you mean," Ryoma said as truthfully as he could.

"Tell me the truth!!" Eiji growled, lifting himself with his hands out of the chair but failing almost instantly as he fell out of his chair and plummeted to the floor. "…Tell me…tell me the truth!" He wailed, punching the ground as tears flowed down his cheeks.

Ryoma stood up defensively but did nothing to help the red head.

"Eiji!" Oishi shouted, appearing at the doorway before running to his friend's side.

"I think I should leave," Ryoma murmured with wide eyes before retreating from the room as quickly as possible.

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Reviews are loved!!


	2. Slowly Coming Undone

**A/N **Here's the second chapter everyone! I hope you've enjoyed it so far :) It's been fun to wind the intricate knots that Ryoma has to unravel.

**Warnings: **None.

**Dedicated to: **DemonGirl13. Happy Birthday luv!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own The Prince of Tennis.

* * *

**During the Summers I'd been Away**

By squishy the jellyfish

These past few days had been full of surprises, or rather, _bad _surprises. First, Ryoma had met up with a mysterious as ever Fuji-senpai, second he saw a very sick and/or, tired looking Oishi-senpai, and lastly…he found out that Eiji-senpai was confined into a wheelchair. To say the least, his 'vacation' had not started off well at all.

"I take it though you found Eiji-kun?" An elegant voice said, making the other male look up.

"Fuji-senpai…you're here?" Ryoma asked dumbly, straightening from his hunched over position. After the incident in Eiji's room, he'd run all the way out of the building and stopped only to catch his breath outside. "…What the hell's going on?"

Fuji's eyes were open, but were directed out into the street. "I'd never expect you to understand, nor would I _want _you to understand."

"Why?" Ryoma demanded, a frown adorning his pixie-like features. "What's there _not _to understand? Eiji-senpai's in a _wheelchair. _A fucking **wheelchair**."

Fuji glanced over at the younger man, his eyes intense. "…A lot of things have happened during the summers you'd been away, Echizen-kun, a lot of things that you were not present for."

Ryoma glared. "What happened to him? And why does Oishi look so tired and ill?"

"Wasn't that obvious?" Fuji chuckled suddenly, "The stupid fool takes care of his 'love', but he can't take care of himself. Honestly…"

Love? Were Oishi-senpai and Eiji-senpai _together? _

"Though they don't know that yet," Fuji paused. "Stupid fools don't even realize that everyone but them, know that they're in love."

What?! "Fuji-senpai-"

Fuji shot him a sharp look which silenced him instantly. "I think it'd be best if you avoided them for a while, ne?"

"But, what happened to Eiji-senpai? Why is he like that?" Ryoma asked.

Fuji shifted his gaze.

"Why won't you tell me?!" Ryoma shouted, his fists clenching at either side of his body.

"…Want to know what happened to the monster after it's fangs were lost?" Fuji's tone was hard and somewhat eerie.

"What?" Ryoma was confused. What was all of this leading up to?

Fuji narrowed his eyes and glared straight into Ryoma's eyes. He moved a bit closer to the other male. "It died."

In response, Ryoma moved back a few feet. Those words…Fuji's words were somehow ruthless and brutal.

Fuji took a step back and straightened up a bit. He slipped his hand into his pocket and drew out his wallet. Fuji closed his eyes. "You know…there's a great burger place just down the road called 'The Burger Palace' and I must insist that you go, Echizen-kun."

Ryoma blinked. He was kidding, right? Burgers are great and all, but really…this was _not _the time to eat fast food. In fact, Ryoma wasn't sure that his appetite had returned to him in one piece after the flight back to Japan.

The former tensai took out a few bills and held them out to the younger man. "Here, this should cover it, right?"

Ryoma fixed his gaze onto the yen and merely raised an eyebrow. "No, I really don't feel like a burger, but thanks-"

"Take it," Fuji urged.

"No, please, thank you any-"

"TAKE IT!" Fuji shoved the notes into the man's chest rather roughly, sending Ryoma back a few steps.

Ryoma grasped at the money and stared at Fuji, horrified by his behaviour and actions.

Fuji smiled. "Good, then I'll be going," he said before waving and departing in a different direction.

Ryoma looked back down at the yen again.

"Oh yes, before I forget," Fuji called out and turned back around. "You've become quite tall, perhaps even taller than…but anyway, please _do _tell me what is in your diet, I'll have to try it."

Ryoma nodded wordlessly before turning around.

"One more thing, Echizen-kun!" Fuji shouted, that elusive smile fixed on his lips. "Ask for the Burger Deluxe Special! It's delicious!" He turned and walked away quickly.

The Burger Deluxe Special? Ryoma stuffed the money into his back pocket and sighed. Perhaps this was what he needed. Something that may bring the good memories back and help him relax…besides, Fuji-senpai didn't look as if he was brooking for any disagreement. He shivered before turning on his heels towards the bright sign which said 'The Burger Palace'. The automatic doors swished open and Ryoma walked into the store casually…

"How about you try the Burger Deluxe Special, sir?" The tall man behind the counter asked one customer with blue hair.

Ryoma's mouth dropped open. "I-Inui-senpai?!"

"Oh?" Eyebrows rose over thick glasses. "Echizen!"

"Excuse me, but I think I was here first. Unless this is urgent I'd really like to be served without any distractions. I get distracted a lot, and it never turns out well. At least that what Kamio-kun says…. I wonder where he is. He was supposed to meet me here. I hope he's not standing me up. That would make me very sad…."

Inui grinned sheepishly. "Uh…sorry about that, sir. What would you like?"

The bluenette put his finger to his chin and looked up at the menu. "Hmm, what's good here? Are there any specials? I hope it won't be too expensive. I was under the impression that when Kamio-kun arrived, he'd be paying. Oh well. What do you sell here? Oh, wait…you sell burgers. I think I'll have a burger. There's a lot of burgers here. They're all different. Hmm…what should I get? What do you think?"

"The…Burger Deluxe Special," Inui said, holding out his hand. "That's four hundred yen."

The bluenette frowned as he burrowed into his pockets with his hands. "I don't seem to have the money…-"

Inui sweat-dropped. "I…think it's time for a break," he said to no one in particular as he excited the counter and walked over to Ryoma.

"Oi, wait. Where are you going? You can't do that. You could be fired. This isn't professional. Where the hell's Kamio-kun…?"

"Inui-senpai…you…work here?" Ryoma spluttered out abruptly, staring at the data man's odd stripy uniform and matching hat.

"…Ah. Why don't we sit down, Echizen?" Inui waved his hand towards a table with two chairs at either end. Perfect.

Ryoma sat down, but kept absolutely silent; unsure of what to say or do.

"Now…where were we?" Inui asked, plopping down unceremoniously into the other seat. "Oh yes…this is where I work now, yes."

Ryoma swallowed. "What about college?" Surely he was attending there, right?

Inui sighed and took off his hat, setting it neatly on the table. "Funds were unreasonable in my family's current…," he paused, "state."

"You're joking, aren't you?" Ryoma's expression was incredulous. "What about scholarships?"

Inui shook his head gravely, but then tried to brighten the situation by smiling, albeit a little sadly. Despite his somewhat stalker-ish ways, Inui still cared about his kouhai and didn't want to burden him with his own problems. "I tried for a while, but I never received one…not _one_."

Ryoma's eyes widened in response.

"So…how are you, Echizen?" Inui asked politely.

"…Good, thanks." Guilt was now gnawing away at Ryoma's insides. While Ryoma had fame, glory and _money _in America, Inui had suffered silently back in Japan. Ryoma frowned.

"Good to hear," Inui smiled. "Have you told Momo about your return?"

Crap. He'd forgotten all about that. "Uh, no…but I will," Ryoma replied hastily.

"I see…. Echizen?" Inui looked at the younger man who seemed like he was on another planet.

"Oh, sorry…I was just thinking about Momo-senpai."

"It's fine," Inui reassured good naturedly. "Now…how about you try The Burger Deluxe Special? For free."

"Um…yeah, sure. Why not?" Ryoma said softly, offering Inui a small smile before he got up and headed to the kitchen.

Ryoma sank back into the plastic chair and sighed heavily, but before he could even say 'mada mada dane', Inui was back, grinning like a Cheshire cat, plate topped with a burger in his hands.

"Thanks," Ryoma said, reaching for the plate and putting it onto the table. It looked normal enough…perhaps even delicious.

"NOOOO!! STOP!"

No sooner had Ryoma touched the bun, a flash flew across and snatched the innocent burger away.

"Oi! What the hell are you doing?" Ryoma demanded, glaring at the hunched over form of the burger-thief. He looked to be a man in his mid-twenties with dark hair….

"Sorry for the scene I made, but I had to save you!"

Inui looked as if he were on the verge of crying. "…How mean."

"Momo-senpai!" Ryoma exclaimed as the man got up and turned around to face him.

Momo's purple eyes revealed utter horror.

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Reviews are loved!!


	3. PREVIEW don't have to read

**Disclaimer: **I don't own The Prince of Tennis.

**A/N **Preview for the upcoming chapters because I have to get the new Prince of Air Trek chapter up and running before I can do anything else. Plus, school's sucking all of my muse from me :S

* * *

The white sheet pooled onto the floorboards effortlessly.

Tezuka's back was perfectly straight as he sat up in bed, sweating and panting in alarm. Leaning his weight back onto his hands, he gripped tightly at his bedspread and tried to calm down.

_It was just a dream._

_That__ dream…._

He shivered, and he lifted his hand to his eyes, shielding them from the moonlight which spilled in through transparent drapes hanging from the window. Tezuka's breathing evened out gradually and his hand fell back by his side. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he dangled his legs over the edge of the bed before standing up unsteadily.

…_He hadn't had __**that**__ dream for a while._

Tezuka steadied himself with the aid of the bedside table and took a long shaky breath in. He needed to take a shower, he thought silently. The former captain felt hot, sticky and feverish, to say the least.

_Why had that dream__ suddenly resumed haunting his sleep again?_

The strong memory of piercing blue eyes blurred his vision and Tezuka stumbled…falling onto the floor without a fight.

_He was weak…too weak._

Tezuka didn't move, not one inch; his body lying lifeless and vulnerable on the cold hard floor.

Golden eyes infiltrated his vision this time.

…_Echi--?_

"Tezuka? Tezuka?!"

_Fuji…._


End file.
